Goblin Squares Recipes

FESTIVE CRANBERRY CREAM CHEESE SQUARES

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 15 x 10-inch jellyroll pan with no-stick cooking spray.
• BEAT flour, oats, 3/4 cup brown sugar and butter in large bowl until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture; press remaining mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
• BAKE 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth; beat in eggs. Spread over partially baked crust: top with mincemeat.
• COMBINE remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cornstarch in small bowl; stir in cranberry sauce. Spoon over mincemeat. Top with reserved crumb mixture.
• BAKE 40 minutes or until golden. Cool. Chill. Cut into squares.

DEEP-FRIED CHEESE SQUARES

Steps:

• In a heavy 3 to 4-quart saucepan melt the butter over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, stir in 3/4 cup of the flour and mix well. Add the milk in a stream whisking constantly. Cook over high heat until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Simmer for another 10 minutes on low heat, whisking often.
• Take the pan off the heat and beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, using a wooden spoon. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the grated cheese and mix well. Pour into a greased baking dish (8 by 6-inches) and spread into a 1/2-inch thick layer. Use a spatula to smooth the top. Allow to cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight, until firm.
• Using a pastry wheel or a sharp knife, cut the mixture into 2-inch squares and transfer them to a sheet of waxed paper. Dredge each square into the remaining flour and coat completely. Shake off excess flour and dip into the egg wash, followed by the bread crumbs. Pat the square gently with a spatula to help the crumbs adhere. Repeat with all the squares and place them on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the coating is firm.
• In a deep fryer or heavy saucepan, heat 2 to 3-inches of oil until it reaches 375 degrees. Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature. Line a baking dish with paper towels and set in the middle of the oven.
• Deep-fry the squares 3 or 4 at a time, turning them with a slotted spoon for about 5 minutes, until golden brown on both sides. As they brown, transfer them to a baking dish in the oven to keep them warm while you deep-fry the rest. Serve at once as a first course or an accompaniment to the drinks.

FLORENTINE SQUARES

Steps:

• Adjust rack to lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-x-15 1/2-x-1/2-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang at each short end.
• Batter: Pour the cream, corn syrup, and sugar into a 1 1/2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir to combine, then add the butter. Stir over medium-low heat until the butter melts. Then raise the heat to medium, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon--especially toward the end of cooking--to prevent scorching. Cook until the mixture reaches 238 degrees F, the soft-ball stage, on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes; the mixture will appear between ivory- and straw-colored. Remove from heat, and stir in almonds.
• Pour the mixture onto the center of the foil-lined baking sheet, and spread it in as thin a layer as possible. A pool about 8 inches in diameter is fine. Bake for 3 minutes; then spread the more liquid mixture evenly over the baking sheet. If the mixture still does not completely cover the baking sheet, bake another minute, then tilt the baking sheet to allow the mixture to spread evenly. Bake for about 5 to 6 minutes total, or until golden but not dark brown. Though the mixture bubbles while baking, the bubbles form more slowly toward the end of baking time than at the beginning.
• Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and cool for 2 to 3 minutes. While the mixture is still warm but no longer liquid, cut 1 1/2-inch squares using a ruler and a pastry wheel. If the mixture is too warm, it will not cut cleanly. If it is too cool, it will splinter or not cut; in that case return it to the oven for a few seconds to soften it a bit.
• Decoration: When the squares are completely cool, place the chocolate in a bowl over water at about 120 degrees F. When about two-thirds of the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the water. With a dry rubber spatula, stir until the liquid chocolate melts the soft or unmelted chocolate that remains. Fill a small handmade paper cone with the chocolate and snip off the tip. Pipe thin lines of chocolate back and forth over the squares' surface. Refrigerate the squares briefly, just to set the chocolate. Remove from the refrigerator and set aside in a cool, dry place.
• To store, remove squares from the foil and place them in layers, separated by strips of aluminum, in an airtight metal or plastic container in a cool place up to 1 week.

BREAKFAST FRITTATA SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish thoroughly with the butter.
• Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool.
• Whisk the eggs in a large bowl with some salt and pepper. Add the cheese and stir until combined. Mix in the cooled sausage and spinach mixture.
• Pour the egg mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake until the eggs are cooked through and firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

PECAN SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 365 degrees F.
• While the pastry is cooling, combine the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, honey, and salt in a large pot over high heat. Boil for 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and, at arm's length, carefully stir in the cream, being mindful of splatters.
• Add the pecans and mix thoroughly. Pour the filling evenly over the baked pastry. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the pastry flour and salt. Add the egg and egg yolk. Mix thoroughly.
• Press the dough evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• To bake, cover the pastry with parchment paper and weigh it down with dried beans or pie weights (see Cook's Note*). Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely before removing the beans and parchment paper.

OREO MARSHMALLOW SQUARES

Steps:

• Spray a 9-by-12-inch pan with cooking spray, then place a layer of parchment paper cut to size on top. Spray the top of the parchment so it is coated lightly.
• Pour 1/2 cup cold water in a small microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin powder on top and stir well. Let stand for at least 3 minutes to allow the gelatin to absorb the water.
• Combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, honey and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and heat to 250 degrees F. The syrup will thicken and be boiling. Pour the syrup into the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand to cool down to 212 degrees F; this happens fairly quickly.
• Microwave the gelatin mixture for 30 seconds to a minute or until the gelatin is completely melted but not over 135 degrees F.
• Add the melted gelatin mixture to the cooked syrup. Place the bowl on the mixer with a whip attachment and whip on high, stopping after about 7 minutes to add the vanilla, until the mixture gets white and fluffy, 8 to 10 minutes. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the crushed Oreos®. Scrape the mixture out into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining 2 cups of crushed Oreos®. Set aside to allow the marshmallows to set up, a couple of hours.
• Cut the marshmallows and toss in a 50/50 cornstarch-confectioners' sugar mixture to prevent them from sticking back together. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

GOBLIN PIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• COOKIES: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, Set aside.
• In large bowl, combine butter, and brown sugar. Use and electric mixer on medium to beat until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• Add pumpkin and mix to combine. Reduce mixer to low, then add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour.
• Add orange food coloring, then beat until evenly blended.
• Portion16 mounds of batter (1/4 cup each) onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each.
• Bake , rotating sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean, 10-12 minutes.
• Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
• FOR FILLING: When cookies are completely cool, prepare filling. In a large bowl, comine butter and powdered sugar. Use an electric mixer on medium to beat until smooth (it will look crumbly at first). Beat in vanilla and salt.
• Add marshmallow and beat until smooth, then add green food coloring and beat until evenly colored.
• To assemble, arrange 8 cookies on the counter, flat sides up. Divide filling evenly among cookies, about 1/2 cup per cookie, and spread in an even layer.
• The filling can also be piped onto the cookies.
• Place a second cookie, flat side down, over filling on each. If you store the pies in the refrigerator, remove them about 1 hour before serving.

GOBLIN BARS

Steps:

• Prepare brownie mix according to box for an 8x8-inch pan.
• Bake and let cool slightly.
• Place the Dove Promises in a mixing bowl and place over a pot of simmering water.
• Stir the mixture as it melts.
• When mixture is shiny and smooth, turn off the heat.
• (I used the microwave to melt them.) Pour half of the melted Dove Promises over the top of the brownies and set aside the remaining half.
• Sprinkle with 3/4 cup chopped Snickers Brand Bars and 1 cup M&M's Candies.
• Drizzle remaining Dove Promises on top.
• Let cool completely prior to serving.

GOBLIN CHEWIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture. Stir in oats, cereal, orange slices and chips or raisins. , Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a fork. Decorate with raisin or chocolate chip eyes and orange slice mouths. Bake at 350° for 10-14 minutes. Cool on wire racks.